Students at South Whidbey High School made the most of their regularly scheduled half-day Wednesday with an Earth Day observance which included attending educational presentations and beautifying the school with freshly planted flowers and trees.

The event was sponsored by Whidbey EcoNetwork and the Whidbey Earth and Ocean Month Committee.

The South Whidbey High School Green Team also helped to organize the day’s event.

Students began the day by attending an all-school assembly featuring keynote speaker Michael Foster, who presented “Planting for the Planet.”

June Bright and Dansy Thomas, students at South Whidbey High School, noted that they don’t typically get the opportunity to learn in-depth lessons about ecologically-centered subjects in the classroom.

Bright added that the assembly with Foster was especially enlightening.

In the new commons, they made their way to a series of displays from community groups including the Whidbey Audubon Society, Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Greenbank Farm, South Whidbey Tilth, Beach Watchers, Orca Network Whidbey Institute, Occupy Your Bike, Eco Network and others.

“It’s a great way for people in the neighborhood to talk to kids,” said Anna Swartz, a representative from the Whidbey Audubon Society.

“It’s really marvelous to talk to people who are so involved in these things,” she added.

Students also had the opportunity to attend presentations from community leaders in ecological preservation and study, such as Tim Economu of OffGrid Solutions and Sarah Cassatt of the Whidbey Conservation District.

“I planted a tree today, and that’s really exciting,” said Thomas.